Digital Advisory Board

The Digital Advisory Board (DAB) provides independent advice to the Government Digital and Data function.

The Digital Advisory Board (DAB) is responsible for providing independent expert advice to the Central Digital & Data Office (CDDO), Government Digital Service (GDS) and the wider leadership of the Government Digital and Data function.

Members of the DAB are independent experts recruited to provide insight on Digital, Data, and Technology to the government based on their skills and experience. Members are appointed by the Minister for the Cabinet Office with advice from the Chair of CDDO.

Membership

Paul Willmott (Chair) - Chair, Central Digital and Data Office

Paul Willmott is Chair of the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO).

Alongside his role in CDDO, Paul is Chief Digital Adviser at the LEGO Brand Group. He has 30 years of experience transforming businesses through digital means, as an executive and advisor. Paul was previously Global Managing Partner and Founder of McKinsey Digital. He has worked globally and across sectors, with a focus on consumer-facing industries. He started his career as a software engineer and technical architect at Accenture.

Paul’s role is a public appointment, at 0.5 days a week.

Mike Potter - Government Chief Digital Officer

Mike Potter is Government Chief Digital Officer and is responsible for leading the government’s digital transformation from the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) in the Cabinet Office. CDDO leads the Government Digital and Data function for HMG by putting the right conditions and capabilities in place to enable departments to transform through digital and technology. Mike has a wealth of experience and an impressive record of delivering transformational change in both public and private sector roles over the last 20 years. Mike has held senior posts at HMRC, NHS, and the Rural Payments Agency.

James Bilefield

James is an experienced Chair/Non-Executive Director, Strategy Advisor and Technology Investor with a unique track record as an entrepreneur and digital leader scaling successful technology and multichannel businesses in the UK and globally.

He brings extensive experience from across the public and private sectors in technology, finance, media, and travel & leisure companies. James has led digital transformation projects and driven broad scale technology upgrades.

Zaka Mian

Zaka spent his career working for Lloyds Banking Group after completing a degree in Computer Science at York University. A business focussed technologist, his experience includes IT architecture, delivery of large scale technology enabled programmes and leading the digital transformation of the Group.
In his former role he was Group Transformation Director where he implemented agile at scale. More recently, Zaka has signed up to be a Senior Advisor to McKinley & Company. He is passionate about helping shape and deliver transformative missions and building talented, multi-disciplined diverse teams.

Matthew Timms

Matthew has had over 25 years of building innovative digital growth businesses, innovation and capabilities across several industries including software, automotive, pharmaceuticals and financial services. With a strong digital and business leadership background, he has experience in successfully building digital, technology and data transformation within large corporations.

In January 2022, Matthew joined Thales on the UK Advisory panel to support the Thales business in Digital and Data activities.

Previously he worked for E.ON SE as the Chief Digital Officer leading the digital transformation programme where he built a holistic digital programme touching all areas of the business.

Lisa Harrington

Lisa began her career with IT consulting firm, Accenture, before moving to spend 10 years with British Telecom (BT). Her career in BT included a range of customer, transformation and technology roles culminating in her role as Chief Customer Officer for the Group. Lisa subsequently led the Learning Division of IT and business skills provider QA Ltd.

Lisa is currently Non-executive director of Digital 9 Infrastructure Plc, a Non-executive director of Supporting Education Group (SEG) and a Non-Executive director Post Office UK Ltd. Lisa also provides independent advisory and mentoring services to businesses like Hyperoptic, Upskill Digital, Tech Pixies and Propelelo; and is Trustee of the children’s literacy charity, The Children’s Book Project.

Verity Harding

Verity Harding is Founder of Formation Advisory Ltd, and a Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University’s Bennett Institute for Public Policy.

Verity spent a decade at Alphabet, latterly at DeepMind, where she co-founded the company’s ethics and policy team and served as the Global Head of Policy. In 2017 she also co-founded the independent multi-stakeholder organisation the Partnership on AI. Prior to this Verity was Head of Security Policy for Google in Europe and Interim Head of Public Policy for the UK & IE.

Before her career in technology she was a member of Her Majesty’s Government as a Special Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister the Rt Hon Sir Nick Clegg. In her spare time, Verity is a Director of the Royal Academy of Arts and Chair of the Board for Girls Who Code UK.